FLUTE TALK

[cede]

I was looking at this too : http://www.phwarehouse.com/products/2%2 ... apter.html

But sshhhht it's a secret

[Rastus]

Cede,
that looks like the one there... better grab em before.....

i wont say it...

[WIski]

Beware!!!! The picture is of a safe all copper fitting. Back when the safe ones were readily available the cast copper adapters started showing up in peoples orders even though the pictures on the web sites depicted the all copper ones. Make sure you check with the supplier to confirm that they are lead free before you buy. If they are lead free, grab them. They are awesome

[moosemilk]

I can say, I have used just about every method I can think of to make flanges. I have used wire, soldered a plate on, cut slits to make forming a flange with pliers easy and a proper hammered flange. I find that not forming a one piece flange can work but is weak and will fail if too much of a side load is put on it. I support mine from an eye bolt in the ceiling so it isn't a big issue but a proper hammered flange is by far the strongest and has less chance of leaking and failure.

Maybe i'll just purchase some ferrules in that case. The stainless ones are not too pricey and will probably look great with the copper pipe. Thank you also!

I'm a cheap bastard and refuse to buy ferrules (or much of anything) which is why I have tried so many different methods. I don't want to discourage you from making your own. I use every type I have made although I have had a few failures which is why I mention it. I would support the column anyway because somebody, I forget who, had a failure of the SS to copper ferrule connection and their column fell over. Annealing and hammering a flange was actually quite easy once I made a sort of jig out of plywood for doing it. If you look at my goofy things thread on page 11 you can see what I did.

Yup, I remember that one as well. The solder had not properly flowed between the flange and the pipe. And I have seen your posts and your jig, viewed many of your builds for tips! There are a few here, you one of them, that explains things so clearly.

[cranky]

There are a few here, you one of them, that explains things so clearly.

I don't always succeed but I certainly try and I'm always happy to try to clarify anything.

[Dan Call]

I've been on here for 9 years. This forum is the most amazing forum for sheer creativity of any kind of forum I've ever seen.

I've been the Smiley still and done mostly all grain. I've purchased all parts necessary for a flute build, except sight glasses.

Sight glasses are my hangup. I want to build so bad I could taste it. I've read 95% of this thread, I love this build.

I'm trying my best to piece together something that will work for sight glasses, the above posts are the highest hopes yet.

Question: What is the single largest build that's been done with the Flute design and has been talked about here?

I'm seeing a few 6 inch designs, but I'm curious as to the single largest build in terms of collumn height and circumference?

Thanks greatly.

I love this forum!!!!

[thecroweater]

Not sure if Big Don put his build up in this thread or not but he built an 8" one a few years back. It was a solid unit before modular designs started surfacing. Far as I know it worked fine and he only upgraded to go modular in the same diameter, he did it as he was away a bit so had to get his runs done quick

[raketemensch]

There's one that KS built for someone that was higher than the roof of the building it was set up next to.

It's in this thread somewhere, it's a monstrous beast.

I don't think even a 25-gallon boiler would keep an 8" flute happy.

[Euphoria]

I have a 4" flute on my 25 gallon boiler, and that has been more than sufficient for all my needs. I agree that a 6" or 8" flute would be overkill on a 25 gallon or less.

[raketemensch]

What's the current theory on the j-trap?

From what I understand, it's basically the heaviest, most-water-bearing stuff that end up in it.

So why not make it larger? I'm making mine with some 1" tube over 3/4" tube, and I can make it as deep as I'd like. Once I realized that, I started thinking... Why don't people make them huge, to trap as much of the least-wanted elements as possible?

[thecroweater]

EG's designs only uses a J cup for the bottom return, the above plates have the downcomer extend to just below the bath hight of the receiving plate. From what I've seen it works pretty much the same

[LWTCS]

Captainshooch has a 16 plater

[pfshine]

What's the current theory on the j-trap?

From what I understand, it's basically the heaviest, most-water-bearing stuff that end up in it.

So why not make it larger? I'm making mine with some 1" tube over 3/4" tube, and I can make it as deep as I'd like. Once I realized that, I started thinking... Why don't people make them huge, to trap as much of the least-wanted elements as possible?

Why would you make it bigger than needed to be? It's just a trap to keep vapor from going up the downcomer, hence it has to go through the fluid bed of your choosing. I am majorly in favor of the large inline thumper under the column to hold all of the liberated alcohol.

[cranky]

I don't see any point in making the bottom trap any bigger than necessary either. Mine uses a short downcomer for the bottom trap and works just fine.

[raketemensch]

I had read somewhere that it also had to do with the worst of the fractions returning to the boiler, but on thinking about it, it wouldn't prevent much, since it will drip once full anyway.

I went with a short downcomer and regular trap on the bottom in the end. I kinda had to, to get it to fit inside the 2" to 4" reducer.

[Snackson]

Well, the 1.5" copper trap adapters at Supply House are no more. I ordered some and received cast ones. Returned them and was sent cast again. They checked their warehouse and that is what Cello is sending them now. Returning these and going the tri clamp route. Just wanted to put this out there in case others were going to go that route.

[raketemensch]

I'm hoping for some plumbing advice -- I got my dephleg all leak-tested, and I'm using CSST for both condensers.

So I picked up fittings to go from the CSST fittings to 1/2"ID hose. Seems pretty straight-forward, right? I couldn't find ball valves for the 1/2" tubing, so I got some for PEX, and some hose clamps to tighten it down.

But I'm getting some bad leaks. Where I enter the dephleg (that's a standard 1/2" hose barb), even with a clamp cranked down on it, I'm getting a heavy drip. And one of the two PEX ball valves works perfectly (going to the PC), but the other one (to the dephleg) drips no matter what I do. I can't crank the clamps any tighter.

Maybe this pump is just pushing too much water? I have two tees in the line from the pump -- one just returns straight to the can, the other splits off to the two valves. I thought I'd be regulating water pressure with that first tee, but even with it returning wide-open I think I'm still getting too much flow.

I've got a spare dimmer switch here, I'm thinking about building it into a cord for the pump. It's only 0.1666HP, I didn't think that'd be overpowering.

I knew that my air-cooled setup was avoiding some hassle, I just had no idea how much

Edit: I took a two-gang electric box, a dimmer switch, an outlet and a plug and built myself a little portable dimmer situation. I can plug it into the wall, plug anything into it, and dim it.

It didn't help Even with the pump getting just enough electricity to reach the dephleg, it still leaks.

[FURTHER EDIT] I got it down to an occasional drip from the dephlegmator input, so for the moment I just have a a towel under it. Cleaning runs!

[frunobulax]

Are you using PEX tubing or regular tubing? If its PEX, I think it is is too rigid for hose clamps, plumbers have special crimping tools to attach it.
Also, don't use a dimmer switch on your pump. they are not meant to be used that way and you'll most likely burn it up.

[raketemensch]

Thanks, I pulled the dimmer once I saw it wasn't really helping anyway.

I've got cheap, regular 1/2"ID plastic tubing right now, but it tends to deform once the water gets warm. I'd like to use something heavier duty, and I'd *really* like to find some quick disconnects.

[RedwoodHillBilly]

I'd like to use something heavier duty, and I'd *really* like to find some quick disconnects.

You mean like these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008F ... 49I8YPO0TE
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IE ... PDKIKX0DER

[raketemensch]

Thanks, those are perfect. I managed to use the pulley I mounted above the column to remove it for changing out water to vinegar, and soon sac booze, without removing all the plumbing, and got it back together without leaks. But that's not going to work for post-run cleaning until I get a sink installed in this basement.

[pfshine]

Sharkbites are a bit spendy but work great for water supply. Just push it in, then with the special ring (or a crescent wrench for that matter) press the collar in and pull the tubing out. But for now with your leaking problems I would say wrap the barbs with a couple wraps of teflon then push it on and clamp it down.

[raketemensch]

Holy mother of God does that water ever heat up. I need to come up with a good way to change it out when it gets too hot. I was hoping (even though I really knew better) that around 30 gallons of cold water and a few frozen gallon jugs would do it, but there's no way I'd make it 2-3 hours at that rate. I don't currently have a good way to drain the barrel without the pump right now, so for the moment I'm looking at picking up another pump to make room for cooler water, and installing a spigot in the basement (which I'd be doing anyway) to bring in more cool.

If it was Summer, everything would go in/out of the pool. Who knew cooling would be more difficult when it's 12 degrees outside?

I remember seeing images of someone's system of 2 barrels outdoors where each fed the other, but I can't seem to find it now.

[pfshine]

That might have been googes system. Get a hose splitter or a tee on the outlet side with a valve off of it to drain the hot water somewhere else.

[raketemensch]

Thanks pfshine, it was indeed googe, he PMed me a link. It's pretty cool. In the end I've installed an 18-gallon utility sink next to the boiler, so I can just drain out and refill when it gets too hot. Just one more valve, right?

So, I don't have a thermometer in my flute yet, I'm sorting out the bulkhead fitting first.

In the meantime, this is how I ran the sac runs:

1) Get up to temp
2) Get the dephleg squashing everything but ~2-3 drops/second
3) Stay in that mode until I collect ~250ml of fores -- this is around 15-20 minutes
4) Turn up the dephleg and reflux for another 5-10 minutes
5) Turn down the dephleg a little and start collecting into 300ml jars
6) Collect down to 20%, only increasing power to keep the stream up

Now, I know that most people operate on temps, but this has worked well for me so far. Then again, I'm just getting started, and this may be inefficient.

The other thing I'm wondering -- how much heat is too much? The dephleg can knock down all 5500 watts, but it doesn't have to. What kind of sweet spots have people found so far?

[still_stirrin]

1) ...
2) ...
3) ...
4) Close up the dephleg and reflux for another 5-10 minutes
5) Open up the dephleg a little and start collecting into 300ml jars
6) ...

I'm confused about what you mean here, i.e. - "close up the dephleg"...I thought that was your CM reflux condenser, and typically they are always open to the vapor path. The defleg is "in-line" with the vapor path, right?

Same thing when you say, "open up the dephleg". Are you, or are you not simply regulating the water flow into/out of the condenser to regulate the reflux ratio?

Can you explain a little better what your are doing? What....are you closing and opening? Surely, you don't have a valve in the vapor path do you?
ss

[raketemensch]

1) ...
2) ...
3) ...
4) Close up the dephleg and reflux for another 5-10 minutes
5) Open up the dephleg a little and start collecting into 300ml jars
6) ...

I'm confused about what you mean here, i.e. - "close up the dephleg"...I thought that was your CM reflux condenser, and typically they are always open to the vapor path. The defleg is "in-line" with the vapor path, right?

Same thing when you say, "open up the dephleg". Are you, or are you not simply regulating the water flow into/out of the condenser to regulate the reflux ratio?

Can you explain a little better what your are doing? What....are you closing and opening? Surely, you don't have a valve in the vapor path do you?
ss

Yeah, that bit is confusing, I'll go edit it for posterity.

I should have said "turned up the dephleg"in 4, and "turned down the dephleg" in 5.

[cranky]

raketemensch that's pretty much how I run mine, With the apple I started using the thermometer to compress the hell out of the tails but with the grainy stuff I like some of the flavors in the tails so I don't compress so much.

[pfshine]

I haven't used a thermo in any of my bubblers. Just experiment with different ways of running it. I run mine different than you or for that matter most people. Each still and any variation on it will have its own sweet spot for what you want.

[Snackson]

So I decided to go with Still Dragon sight glasses for my build since I have spare 2" ferrules. Man, these things are sweet looking and going to make it look nice! Can't wait to start my build thread later this week.